Batman: Arkham Analyzed
by WhoThere
Summary: In this story Doctor Tim Maybury delves into the mind of several patients of Arkham to see what made them into the criminals they are today. Also Joker's back in Arkham and Tim suspects that the mad mans new doctor is spending way to much time with him.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story carries on from my _Batman: Allegiance _and it will also co inside with my "Birth of Harley Quinn".

* * *

_Friday 9 October 2009_

_Arkham Asylum_

_Waylon Jones A.K.A. Killer Croc _

* * *

"Mr. Jones, can you hear me?" The man asked. He was in his mid thirties with brown hair and sharp features. He was wearing a white overcoat much like ones worn by scientists. A name tag hung from his pocket reading. "Doctor T. Maybury Arkham Staff."

"Mr. Jones can you hear me? Mr. Jones? Waylon?"

The beast which was locked in his cell looked up and snarled. His reptilian eye's darted across the bleak and dark room. "Use my real name."

"That is your real name, you are called Waylon Jones." Doctor Maybury told him while scribbling away on his clip board.

"My name is Killer Croc." The beast said. "I lost that name."

"What do you mean you lost it?"

"When I first killed someone." Killer Croc looked at his huge scaly hands with razor sharp claws poking out of his finger tips. "I didn't mean to." He mumbled.

"Tell me what happened." The doctor said calmly.

"I was seven years old. I was walking home from school and being bullied at the same time. One kid in particular bullied me the most. He would throw stones at me, bits of glass, sticks. Anything he could find."

"Why would he do that?" Maybury asked.

"Because I was different, my condition. I had crocodile traits, I was a freak. Then one day he decided to follow me home whilst making fun of me. He picked up a stick and whacked me across the head and said something about my parents. Then I got angry."

"These are your berserker rages yes?" Maybury interrupted.

Killer Croc nodded slowly then carried on. "I was only seven, but my finger nails were sharp enough to cut him. I just remember rage and…red. Then I stopped, I saw him lay there unconscious on the floor. Blood everywhere. My mother and father ran out of the house and said they saw everything, said I was provoked. They said they were going to get help for me but first we have to run. Run far away. My father called an ambulance for him and that was when I first killed someone."

"So you were positive he was dead."

Killer Croc looked up at the Doctor revealing a scaly green face filled with large pointed teeth; a wave of sadness had been cast across it which made him look a lot less frightening. "He looked dead."

Maybury leaned in even though there was a huge thick plastic wall in between them. "But were you sure?" He asked again.

Killer Croc shook his head.

"Then perhaps you weren't a murderer as a child. Tell me more about your parents."

"They loved me, even if I did look like a freak. I used to think people would come for me at night and try to kill me because I was different. But my father always said he wouldn't let anyone hurt me. He would fight the world off if he had to."

Maybury nodded and carried on writing on his clip board. "What about your mother?"

"She would say it doesn't matter what you looked like it's what's inside that counts."

"A wise woman."

"I had to leave them though."

"Why is that Waylon?"

Killer Croc looked up at the Doctor again and a wave of anger crossed his face this time. "I got hungry."

"Hungry?"

"Human flesh began to smell like food. I didn't see people like I used to, I saw them as food. I saw everything that breathed as food. I left so they would be safe."

"What about now? Do you see me as food?" Maybury asked slightly nervous.

"You reek of meaty flesh, you smell of fear no matter how much you try to hide it." Killer Croc snarled. "I'm still an animal at heart, and everyone's part of the food chain."

"Even your family?" Maybury asked.

"No." He snapped. "Not them, I may be an animal but I won't hurt them…and you anger me by saying that!"

Maybury stood up. "Perhaps it's time to finish today's session Waylon. Same time tomorrow."

As Maybury walked out of Killer Croc's cell he could hear the large doors behind him give off a heavy locking noise which seemed to relax him a bit. As he walked past other cells the inmates shouted out to him, some of it being abuse, others trying to scare him or just some saying hello.

"Doctor Maybury! Over here a minute please!" A voice called out."

Maybury looked over and saw Jonathon Crane waving to him.

"What's wrong Jonathon?"

"I just thought I'd say," Crane laughed as if he was drunk. "You're one hell of a doctor."

At first Maybury didn't realize what was wrong with Crane but then the penny dropped. Crane would be given a certain drug to calm him down as he always complained that he could hear voices talking to him all day.

"Thank you Jonathon. Try to get some sleep."

Crane winked at him. "Will do Doc, hehe."

Then a familiar voice could be heard down the halls of Arkham secure wing. The voice of a true maniac, the voice that everyone feared. Joker's voice.

"Doctor, Doctor, I feel like a pair of curtains. Pull your self together man. HAHAHAAHAAAA! I love the classics!"

A female doctor was walking out of Joker's cell as this age old joke was being told, and then Joker's ranting was cut off by the locking of his door much like Killer Croc's.

Maybury walked up to the doctor and smiled. "Hello Harleen."

"Hi Tim." She smiled back.

"How was he today?" He asked whilst they carried on walking back to their office's.

"Not too bad. He told several jokes and only threatened me once."

Maybury nodded impressed.

"How was your patient?" Harleen asked.

"Not bad at all, I feel sorry for him. He's had a tough life. Plus I think I only got threatened to be eaten once."

"Wow that's a record. He usually threatens to disembowel and eat everyone. Anyway I'm going to review my notes and see who I have next. I'll see you later Tim." She waved and walked round the corner to her office.

Maybury carried on walking to his office whilst thinking to himself. "Interesting how she volunteered to be Joker's doctor considering he killed his last three. One was dipped in cement, the other was thrown on a train track and the third was left crazy, his mind was completely warped."

Maybury opened his office door to see two more files on his desk. Each of them read private and had a small picture attached to them and the name written underneath. He sat down in his and sighed as he picked them. "Doctor Jonathan Crane and Doctor Victor Fries." He read out loud. "Why is it always the Doctors?"

* * *

_Saturday 10 October 2009 _

_Arkham Asylum_

_Waylon Jones A.K.A. Killer Croc_

* * *

"How are you doing today Waylon?" Maybury asked smiling.

"Why are you always happy?" The lonely villain asked.

"I…erm…well I'm not always happy." He stuttered having been caught of guard.

"Your nature though, your nature is…happiness. I haven't been happy in years."

"Why is that?"

Killer Croc looked up at Maybury and growled deeply. "Why? Why the hell do you think!? Look at me. Everyone looks at me with fear and anger so I respond in kind. I'm not stupid Doc, despite what I look like. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to rehabilitate me into a good citizen of Gotham. Say if you did, then what? You think I would be happy? You think I would lead a normal life?!"

"Why wouldn't you lead a normal life Waylon, give me one good reason and because of your appearance." Maybury said calmly.

"Because of him." Killer Croc sighed.

"Who?"

"Batman, he's always there watching you. Waiting for you to slip up, Waiting there for you to revert back to your old ways. It's him you know. It's Batman. He protects Gotham from people like me, he's their Dark Knight and sworn defender, but we only started to appear when he did. He brings out the worst of Gotham that's why we keep coming back. That's why people like Joker torment him."

Maybury sat in his seat astounded at what he had just heard. He had never thought of it like that before. Before Batman came it was just thugs that were the problem of Gotham and crime bosses. But what if it was Batman's fault that people like Joker, Bane and Poison Ivy exist. What if the freaks don't bring out Batman? What if Batman brings out the freaks?

"Erm?" Maybury said trying to compose himself again. "Tell me about your first fight with Batman, what happened?"

"It was five years ago. It was night and raining. Thunder and lightning boomed around Gotham. I was in the sewers, eating what ever I could find but that wasn't enough. I needed more, I needed meat. Human meat. I would snatch hobos of the street, people that had no family and wouldn't be missed. I couldn't help it. I was dying. Then he came."

* * *

_5 Years Earlier_

A thump could be heard. Killer Croc spun round with a human arm hanging out of his mouth. Batman stood there, shrouded in his cape.

"It's over." He said calmly.

"NO!!" Killer Croc ran at Batman as fast as he could. Out of fear his berserker rage had taken over him.

Batman ran towards him as well until they both met in the middle. Killer Croc swung his huge scaly hand towards Batman who ducked out of the way and kicked him in the stomach. Croc stumbled back a bit and swung both of his fists again but Batman simply side stepped them. Now growing more frustrated Croc ripped a large piece of pipe from the wall (to which steam hissed out of) and swung at Batman. At first Batman dodged the pipe but after the fifth swing it connected with him.

He fell to the floor holding his chest in pain. Croc picked him up by the neck and his left leg, then flung Batman across and out of the sewer pipe which lead to Gotham's main sewer system. Croc ran towards where Batman had just been thrown and dived into the water. The advantages of being half crocodile meant he was an expert swimmer and could hold his breath for long periods of time. Batman swum back up to the surface and gasped for air. He looked around for his enemy but Croc was no where to be seen.

"Where are you?" Batman whispered to himself. Then with a sudden jolt he was pulled under water and Croc held him in between his arms making escape almost impossible. Croc bit into Batman's shoulder who let out a scream costing him most of his air.

In a desperate last attempt Batman fired his grappling hook into Crocs shoulder which was sharp enough to penetrate his skin and cause him to let go of Batman who swum back up to the surface. Batman held his shoulder in pain and fired his grappling hook into an overhead walkway. He waited for Croc to come back up to the surface but there was nothing.

"Behind you." Came a snarling voice.

Batman spun round and received a punch to the face which knocked him off his feet.

"These sewers are my home which means I know every little secret walkway."

"Give yourself up now." Batman ordered.

Croc laughed. "I don't take orders from food."

Croc pounced on Batman who kicked him off in return. The two both jumped back up onto their feet and eyed each other out, waiting for the other to move first. Impatient and hungry, Croc was the first to throw a punch, which missed then spun round for a kick that made contact. Batman threw a Bat-a-rang but the villain ducked.

"Shabby aim." He mocked.

But Batman said nothing and then it clicked. Croc realized he wasn't aiming for him but something else to either collapse on him or explode. He spun round to look for whatever it was but felt two hands grab his head and smash it against the railing on the walkway several times.

Batman looked over the body and said. "Actually, I had missed."

* * *

_Present Day_

"That was when I first fought him." Croc said.

Maybury nodded whilst writing all this down.

"Hey doc, is it dinner time yet?" He said licking his lips. "Because you're starting to smell like food again."

"So I only smell like food when you're hungry?"

Croc slowly nodded in a meaningful way.

"What about when you're not hungry what do I smell like then?"

"You smell like emotions, fear, happiness and sadness. They all have there own smell."

"Ok." Maybury said writing down one last sentence then standing up. "I've got all I need. I'll see you again in a few weeks time, and then we can start our therapy."

"Therapy?" Croc said confused. "What the hell have we been doing for the past two days?!"

"Background information." Maybury smiled. "Oh and yes, it's almost dinner time."

"Good." Croc snarled violently looking as if he would eat anything that stepped on his side of the cell.

Maybury walked out the cell with a shiver running down his spine but ceasing once he heard that reassuring locking noise. The Doctor walked over to Jonathon Crane's cell and peered in to see the mad Doctor sitting in the corner.

"Jonathon? Are you ok?" He asked.

Crane's head jolted upwards. "Voices are back." He spluttered.

"What voices?"

"_THE _voices." He replied.

"Have you had your medication?" Maybury asked concerned.

Crane shook his head whilst biting his lip.

"Ok. I'll go sort it out, and then the voice will go away."

Crane nodded like a scared child.

"Also I'll be coming in to visit you tomorrow Jonathon. We can talk about the voices."

Maybury speedily walked off to the medical wing in Arkham passing more deluded inmates. Everything about this asylum was bleak and old. Not that Maybury expected it to be merry and painted with bright colors, but this, this didn't help the inmates. Plus the building felt like it would slowly erode anyone's sanity away.

Once he reached the medical wing of Arkham and located the right room he found two men eating chocolate bars and drinking some kind of fizzy drink.

"Why hasn't Crane been given his medication?" Maybury asked sternly.

"You mean his tranquilizers?" One of them grunted.

"Yes."

"He started getting violent when we went in to his cell, spazing out on us."

Maybury sighed. "Please don't use that term."

"Why not?!" He protested. "There're all spaz's, that why they're here."

"They're mentally unstable and we are trying to help them recover." Maybury replied angrily. "You're fat and bald but you don't see me making a song and dance about it!"

"Fine, you like 'em so much do it yourself." He pointed to a large cabinet with a series of drugs inside all labeled with names. A series of needles were stacked up in a small case with the name Jonathon Crane underneath and "one per day" scribbled below that. Maybury grabbed the box and walked out muttering "idiots" under his breath.

"Now," He thought. "I know what I'm doing. I know where to insert the needle thanks to Arkham medical training, I know self-defence thanks to there self-defence program plus I trained in karate when I was little. Never could get past Orange though. Nothing to be afraid of it's just Crane, not Scarecrow in there."

Maybury rushed back through the depressing halls of Arkham until he reached Crane's cell.

"Jonathon?! Are you ok?"

"Help me." He whispered back. "I…the voices…help."

Maybury fumbled for the right key to his cell. He jammed it in the lock and opened the cell. Crane sat in the corner holding his head in pain.

"I'm going to inject you now, ok? This will calm you down and the voices will go."

The madman looked up at Maybury, his sunken eyes staring into his. "The voices whisper. You can't destroy them, you can't silence them!"

Crane run at Maybury who grabbed his arm and pushed him against the wall. "Let me help you Crane!" He persisted.

An image flashed through Crane's head, an image of Batman holding him against the wall saying the same words.

"_Let me help you Crane!"_

"_Get away from me. I am Scarecrow, you will fear me!"_

Crane struggled and wriggled about. "Get away from me! Help! Batman's attacking me Help!"

"Hell with this." Maybury muttered and jammed the needle into Crane's neck while injecting the fluid.

"Help…help…help." Cranes voice slowly getting quieter until it faded completely.

Maybury breathed heavily, he could feel himself shaking. He looked at Crane on the floor who now looked so peaceful. "We'll defiantly start tomorrow. You need all the help you can get." Maybury said feeling sorry for the madman's current sate of mind.

* * *

A/N: Ok so that's the first chapter, what did you think? Please tell me your thoughts by reviewing. Thanks :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Second chapter and things start to get more interesting here.

_

* * *

_

Sunday 11 October 2009

_Arkham Asylum_

_Jonathon Crane A.K.A. Scarecrow _

* * *

"How are you feeling today?" Maybury asked whilst sitting down and watching Crane at all times as there was no plastic wall between them as there was in Killer Croc's cell.

"Better." He mumbled. "The voices are quieter."

"Good. Now I want to talk to you about your…other demeanor."

Cranes head shot up. "You mean Scarecrow?"

"Yes, Scarecrow."

"What do you want to know?"

"Who is he?"

Crane didn't answer for a while; maybe even he didn't know the answer. "He's…he's…fear."

"You're fear?" Maybury asked.

"When I worked here I was studying the effects of fear with certain patients. I had managed to create a toxin that would provoke panic attacks, and when they were at the height of fear they would tell me anything I wanted to know. Fear is a powerful weapon when used correctly. Sometimes it didn't always work on the more…''harder" inmates so I created another personality for myself. One they would fear more."

"And that was the Scarecrow?"

Crane nodded.

"Had you always been interested with the effects of fear from an early childhood?"

"That's a specific question." Crane said smiling wickedly.

"That's because I'm looking for a specific answer."

Crane sighed. "Yes. Ever since I was a child, I suppose you want to know about that as well."

"If you could."

"I wasn't like most kids. I was very thin and pale, verging on anorexic plus having an iron deficiency. I was always reading books and never playing any sports so that meant I was automatically bullied."

Maybury scribbled everything down finding it almost the same as Killer Croc's story.

"My father would simply say stand up for yourself, if they punch you, you punch back. It never worked. Some days I would wish that I would say something that would make the whole school laugh at them and point. Make them feel small like they did to me. One day at home I was reading a book about how the brain worked and I can across a chapter entitled fear."

A voice murmured through Crane's head.

_Fear…..fear…scarecrow_

He twitched but shook it off and carried on with his story but Maybury picked this up and wrote something down.

"I read about how fear could warp your mind in to thinking the worst and how it would control you. After that I knew how I would get my own back I would scare them within an inch of their lives."

"And did you?" Maybury asked.

Crane smiled maliciously. "Oh yes."

_Scarecrow…fear…distorted, anger, Batman_

He twitched again at the sound of these inhuman voices.

"Are you ok?" Maybury asked.

"I'm fine." His voice croaked. "After scaring them half to death and telling them that it was me who did this so they would never forget the police came knocking. They said that I had mentally scarred them forever. That they would need counseling and the parents were suing us. My father somehow managed to sort things out. I can't remember what he did but he was happy with me. Said I finally showed them who was boss."

_Power… fear…fear is…scarecrow…coming…Crane, fear_

Crane held his head. "Shut up!"

"What's wrong? Is it the voices?" Maybury asked slowly reaching for his pocket that contained the case with the injection inside it.

"Get them out of my head…GET THEM OUT!!" He screamed in fear.

"It's ok, stay calm." Maybury pulled out the injection and tried to get hold of Crane. "Stay still and relax." He pushed it into Cranes arm and just like before injected the fluid.

"We'll talk again tomorrow, rest now." He sighed.

Maybury exited the cell and locked the door.

"Tim!" A voice called out.

He spun round and saw Harleen running towards him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is, but I need to ask a favour. I'm starting to make progress with Joker but I need to try an experiment?"

"Where're you going with this?" Maybury asked.

"I need to borrow Scarecrow and Killer Croc for about half an hour."

"When?"

"Tomorrow morning."

Maybury though about this and decided that it couldn't hurt. "Fair enough, I interview Crane in the afternoon anyway."

"Thank you Tim." She smiled.

"So you really think you're getting somewhere with Joker?"

"Definitely." She said winking at Maybury whilst walking back into Joker's cell.

"Hey honey you're back, I was going crazy without you; but then again who would notice another crazy round this place." Joker said as his prison doors slid open then closed and locked again.

"He really gives me the creeps." Maybury thought as he walked back to his office once again. "Who in their right mind would volunteer to interview that psychopath? Then again, I guess none of us are in our right mind if we're working here. I suppose I should write about Crane's "voices" in his file. I wonder what all that's about? He hasn't got any record of having Dissociative Identity Disorder but he has a few of the symptoms such as headaches, trauma and panic attacks. I got to ask him about when he first met Batman as well, I get the feeling Gotham's hero has something to do with most of the inmates mental disorders, and of course I have to interview Mr. Freeze, I get the feeling that'll be eventful."

_

* * *

_

Monday 12 October 2009

_Arkham Asylum_

_Jonathon Crane A.K.A. Scarecrow _

* * *

"Hello Jonathon, how are you doing today?" Maybury asked with a smile.

"I'm doing fine Doctor." He replied calmly.

"Good to hear that. I saw Dr. Quinzel yesterday and she said that she needed to borrow you, how did that go?"

"It was fine…but that's none of your business is it?" Crane said smiling with an evil look in his eye.

"You're right it's not but,"

Crane cut Maybury off. "He wants to see you."

"Who does?"

"Joker." He whispered.

Maybury felt his heart jump. "And…erm…why's that?"

Crane shrugged.

"Well I'll get to him later then but I'm here for now so let's talk about you again."

"What do you want to know?"

"When did you first meet Batman?"

Crane laughed to himself. "Are you following a hunch Doctor?"

"Just background information." Maybury said smiling back coolly.

"It was about three years ago give or take a couple of months. I had just been fired from Arkham after The Warden didn't agree with my... experiments. That night I decided to show him who was the real boss. So I followed him back home or that was at least where I thought he was going. He stopped off at Gotham library first; I took my chance to strike at him and anyone else that was in the way. I turned the whole building into my castle of fear. Fear is a powerful thing Doctor Maybury it can warp the mind into seeing your worst nightmares. Then if your brain can't handle it you are forever stuck in the descent of madness."

"You enjoy being The Scarecrow don't you?" Maybury asked not thinking of the ramifications.

Crane looked at Maybury and smiled manically. "Oh yes."

"What happened with Batman?" Maybury said quick to change the subject.

"He appeared like he always does; he crashed through the window like always."

_

* * *

_

Three Years Earlier

Batman crashed through the window as if it was made of paper and the thought of cutting himself never crossed his mind. He looked round and saw several people hunched up on the floor muttering or screaming. Then he spotted The Warden of Arkham. Batman ran over to him.

"Who did this to you?"

"Scarecrow, scarecrow, scarecrow, scarecrow." He repeated over and over again.

"Who's Scarecrow?" Batman asked.

"He's referring to me." A voice said.

Batman spun round only to receive a face full of gas that flooded out of Scarecrow's hand. Batman dropped to the floor coughing, then his breath deepened and he began to shake.

Scarecrow kneeled down next to him and placed a clawed hand on his shoulder. "What do you fear?" He hissed in Batman's ear. "What do you fear?"

Batman's breathing got heavier and he began to mumble something. All Scarecrow knew was the feeling he was getting from people fearing him, someone truly paralyzed with fear. No more would anyone bully him or make fun of him ever again. The rush it gave him was like a drug.

"This is what it must feel like to be high." He laughed and then looked down at Batman who was still shaking with fear. "I can't possibly imagine what you're thinking, but I bet you're scared to death."

"No!" Batman muttered. "Mom, Dad, no!"

"Feel the pain, feel it tear at your soul. The only way to end it is to give up, go to sleep forever and this nightmare will end. Just give up. Let your mind fall into a deep slumber. He's coming. The reaper is here."

"No!" Batman said determined and slowly stood up. "This isn't real, I'm not afraid of you."

"Fear me!" Scarecrow shouted.

Batman grabbed the masked villain and threw him against a book shelf. Scarecrow fell to the floor in pain, but he was used to pain. Mental pain which was far worse than physical, according to his experience anyway. Scarecrow ran at Batman and went to punch him but Batman grabbed the villains mask and pulled it off.

"Jonathon Crane, but you're a Doctor at Arkham?" He said confused.

"My name is Scarecrow now. Scarecrow brings me power." He threw himself on to Batman which caught the Dark Knight by surprise and punched him in the head several times. Batman grabbed Scarecrow by the neck and kicked him off then pushed him against the wall.

"Let me help you Crane."

"Get away from me. I am Scarecrow, you will fear me!"

Scarecrow somehow managed to wriggle free thanks to his thin body and aim his hand at Batman again for another blast of fear toxin but Batman grabbed his wrist and the toxin sprayed into the air. Batman then punched him in the stomach then kneed him in the head which knocked Scarecrow unconscious."

_Present Day_

* * *

"What made you come to fear Batman?" Maybury asked. "The other day when I was trying to help you, you said I was Batman whilst screaming in fear."

Crane sighed. "I can't remember the date but I had broken out of Arkham and decided to give Batman the fright of his life. He tracked me down to the cemetery."

_Gotham Cemetery _

* * *

Gotham at night was a haunting place in general. But there were certain places you would never go. This was one of them; Gotham Graveyard was truly a haunting place and with a thin fog that had descended on to it only the desperate would go there. Batman walked past the gravestones looking for Scarecrow.

"Frightening isn't it?" The voice belonged to Scarecrow and it seemed to echo around.

"Give up Crane." Batman said sternly.

"I don't think so Batman. You may have beaten my fear toxin before but not this time. Your mind will crumble and I will be victorious."

"What makes you think you'll win this time?"

"Because this is a new toxin, I've been stealing chemicals from here and there,"

Batman butted in. "And leaving various guards hospitalized or dead."

"They shouldn't have gotten in my way as that can have severe consequences."

A cold wind began to blow through the graveyard yet it cleared none of the mist.

"Can you feel that cold shiver down your spine Batman?"

"Last chance Crane, surrender now." Batman warned once more.

"Or what, are you going to beat me to a bloody pulp?"

"No. I'll show you your worst nightmare."

Scarecrow laughed. "I fear nothing Batman," He spat. "Unlike you who will soon fear everything."

Scarecrow jumped out from behind a huge gravestone and sprayed Batman with an almost invisible gas this time but it had no effect.

"What?!" Scarecrow shouted. "How is this happening?"

"I warned you Scarecrow." Batman said and grabbed him by the collar and pulled his mask off only to reveal Batman's face.

"What?" He said while slowly walking backwards.

"You saw what you wanted to see." Scarecrow said, his voice once again echoing and sounding more distorted. "But now you will see fear."

Batman looked round at what he could see. The sky was blood red and all the gravestones were sucked into the ground apart from two that sprung up. He walked over to them and read the names. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne.

"No." He fell to his knees and put his hand on the gravestone and blood began to trickle down. Scarecrow quietly came up behind him and kicked his head through the gravestone.

When Batman awoke he was in a long bleak corridor with very few lights. As he began to run he saw Scarecrow's shadow against several walls.

"This isn't real." Batman muttered to himself.

"Give in. You've lost hero, time to die."

"No!" Batman shouted. "I can fight this and I can beat you Crane."

The walls began to shudder and the lights flickered along with the ground shaking.

"Your fear toxin is weak." Batman said.

"We'll see about that." Scarecrow said calmly.

A door appeared further up the long hall and Scarecrow walked out of it, then another Scarecrow and another. Soon there were about twenty Scarecrows who all spoke in unison.

"Which one is real?" They all said. "You can't possibly beat all of us."

"I'll take you all on." Batman replied threateningly.

The Scarecrow's ran at Batman and one after the other swung a punch or kick at Batman to which he would deflect and use a brutal takedown on them. One after the other the Dark Knight would punch through all the Scarecrow's until there was only one left standing.

"It's over." He said barely out of breath.

The world around them began to fall down, the long hall slowly faded away and the lights popped one by one.

"No, no, no. You can't beat me, not again; I am the master of fear!" Scarecrow screamed as he went to spray his fear toxin again but Batman grabbed his hand and pointed it towards Scarecrows face. The toxin shot out and covered the villain.

"What do you fear Crane?" Batman said menacingly.

_Present Day_

* * *

"That's when you came to fear Batman then?" Maybury asked.

Crane nodded.

"You seem to like your Scarecrow demeanor more than yourself."

Crane began to here the voices whisper again. _"Fear…power."_

"What draws you to him?" Maybury asked.

"_Scarecrow."_

"Scarecrow." Crane repeated.

"Yes, what draws you to him though?" Maybury asked again.

"_Fear."_

"Fear."

"So you enjoy being psychologically powerful?"

The voice began to become clearer now. _"Fear is power, power is strength, strength is Scarecrow and Scarecrow is fear."_

"Jonathon are you ok?" Maybury asked nervously reaching for his pocket where the cased needle was.

"I can hear him. He's talking to me, telling me things." Crane muttered.

"Who is? Is it the voices again?"

"The voice has a name."

"What's his name? Who is he?"

Crane looked up at Maybury with sunken eyes and his gaunt pale face looking like a ghost. "Scarecrow." He whispered.

* * *

A/N: Interesting huh? Told you so, anyway chapter three might be a little longer as i still have to write it. Also i need those reviews, tell me what you think. :)


	3. Chapter 3

_

* * *

_

_Monday 12 October 2009_

_Arkham Asylum_

_Jonathon Crane A.K.A. Scarecrow _

* * *

"Scarecrow is the voice?" Maybury said shocked.

"Scarecrow's coming back." Crane muttered. "And he's going to give you the fright of your life."

"Tim?" A voice called out.

Maybury spun round and saw Harleen at the door. "What is it?" He snapped.

"A new patient." She smiled.

Maybury stared at Crane before leaving; the mad villain simply stared back at him as if to say. "Go on then, leave."

As the two Doctors walked down the hall Harleen noticed that Maybury looked slightly uneasy.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I think Crane might have really gone over the edge."

"What do you mean?"

"You know he was starting to hear voices, well now he saying the voice's are Scarecrow."

"Do you think he's got two personalities now?"

Maybury sighed. "I don't know, each time he's come back to Arkham he's become worse. I only finally just got The Warden to agree with the idea of interviewing patients. If he finds out that I might have "pushed" Crane over the edge,"

"Don't worry, who would notice another crazy round this place?"

Maybury froze. "Joker said that the other day." He thought. "Come to think of it Harleen is spending way to much time with him lately."

"Hey what's wrong now?"

"Nothing, I'm just coming."

As the two of them walked through the huge triple locked doors to the entrance of the asylum they saw several guards with guns aimed at the new inmate who was none other than Two-Face. What shocked Maybury more was that Batman had bought him in personally which was a very rare thing.

"He looks taller in real life." Maybury said.

"Who Two-Face?"

"No, Batman. He's a lot less blurry too. It's amazing how people can't seem to take a normal picture of him."

Harleen smiled. "Oh yeah I forgot to say, Warden said he might want you to interview Two-Face after Mr. Freeze."

"Might?"

"Well it's either you or me. Come on lets go introduce ourselves."

Harleen pulled Maybury down the steps to where the guards were checking if Two-Face had any concealed weapons on him.

"Welcome to Arkham Asylum Two-Face. Dr. Maybury or I, Dr. Quinnzel will be interviewing you over the next couple of days."

Two-Face looked up at the two doctors. "How about we flip to see if I kill both of you." He said in his raspy voice.

Two-Face flipped the coin and caught it. As he opened up his hand slowly Maybury prayed that it landed on the side where he could keep his life.

The villain growled. "Lucky, you get to live."

Batman stood there the whole time watching as Two-Face was led to his cell. "I'll be out of here soon Batman, then I'm coming for you, and you will die. It's the law of averages."

Maybury looked back at Batman who seemed pale, from what you could see of his face anyway. "Are you ok?" He asked.

Batman opened up his cape and Maybury saw he had his hand on his side. "Two-Face shot me."

"Oh I…let me help you."

"I'll be fine." Batman said weakly.

"Please, I can patch up the wound and I need to talk to you about a patient, its urgent."

Batman nodded due to the fact he was starting to feel sick and like he would faint any moment.

_Arkham Staff Hospital Wing_

* * *

"You know you're quite lucky that the bullet missed any vital organs."

"My suit has amour plating around where my organs are." Batman replied.

"Oh right…good then." Maybury said not really knowing how to reply to that. "You haven't lost too much blood either, but I do suggest some rest so your body can repair itself."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Batman asked bluntly.

"It's about Jonathan Crane. I've been interviewing him and he's seemed to have developed a split personality. One Being Crane and the other Scarecrow, now this is quite common in most of our patients but with Crane I think,"

"His fear gas has something to do with it." Batman said finishing the sentence.

"How did? Never mind, look I think it's killing him, he looks incredibly pale and skinny. I'm going to have a series of check ups done on him tomorrow but."

"But what?"

"If he is dying, no one in this place will care. The Warden sees every inmate here as a disease that should be eradicated forever and,"

"Despite him being a murderer that wouldn't think twice about killing you, you still want to help him."

"Can you read minds?" Maybury asked shocked.

"I'm a good judge of character. Tell Police Commissioner Gordon the results, and he'll get back me." Batman walked out of the Hospital Wing and headed to the entrance as if he knew the place like the back of his hand.

Maybury cleaned up the place then headed back to his office. He looked at the time which read 02:31. "I should probably go home and get some sleep, get ready for my interview with Mr. Freeze. Can't believe I got to speak with Batman."

_

* * *

_

Tuesday 13 October 2009

_Arkham Asylum_

_Doctor Victor Fries A.K.A. Mr. Freeze_

* * *

Maybury sat inside Freeze's rather large cell wearing his winter coat and gloves. "Hello Victor I'm,"

"Doctor Maybury, you're going to interview me; I know. Word gets around here fast."

"Oh ok, let's begin then." Maybury shivered slightly.

"Can you feel the cold?" Freeze asked.

"Well…a little yeah."

"I feel nothing what so ever. Only pain." Freeze said with a sad look in his eyes.

"Victor I want to talk to you about your childhood." Maybury said.

"My childhood has little significance to what I am today, the question you should be asking is how I became Mr. Freeze."

"I'd still like to know about it Victor."

Freeze stared Maybury out. "Fine." He snapped. "I was a normal boy. My parents loved me, I had friends and i was fascinated by Science."

"What fascinated you?"

"All of it." He paused then sighed. "But...cryogenics in particular. Something about it drew me towards it, i studied it until knew everything. That's when i met...Nora."

"Your wife?" Maybury asked.

Freeze nodded. "She was studying Cryogenics at Gotham University as well, top of the class. Nora even rivaled my knowledge of the subject. I proposed to her on the day we both graduated. The happiest day of my life was when i married her. Soon after Bruce Wayne offered us a job at Wayne Cryogenics, that section of the Wayne empire was controlled a Mr. Ferris Boyle. He was an evil man and at times it seemed like he would live to make other people suffer."

"Why didn't anyone report him to Mr. Wayne?" Maybury asked.

"Because Boyle would make their lives hell first. Over the years me and Nora learnt to ignore him and just carry on with our work. However, she became ill. At first we thought it was a bug but her condition continued to deteriorated over the days. She was rushed to hospital and we were told that she had a form of cancer, one that had never been seen before. The doctors said they could run tests and try to find a way of slowing it down but i knew there was no chance. One night i said to Nora that there was only one chance. I would have to Cryogenically freeze her until such a cure had been created. I told her how much i loved her and couldn't lose her, so she agreed. I froze her in a Cryo-Chamber."

"You froze Nora where you worked?" Maybury questioned.

"I only hoped that Mr. Wayne would let her sleep there. I didn't care about losing my job or even being put in prison, i just wanted Nora to survive."

"What happened?"

Freeze looked up at Maybury and stared him in the eyes. "Wayne showed compassion but Boyle showed none. He said that his contract stated that he was in charge of this and had the final say. Wayne responded by saying "Wayne Enterprises was created to help Gothams Citizens" but Boyle stormed off. Wayne said he would do everything to help Nora but by me breaking in that i was to be suspended from work until he deemed necessary. I found that judgement fair. I was aloud to visit Nora though but only for brief periods of time. But one day Boyle came in when i was there. He verbally abused me then threw me into Nora's Cryo-Chamber. I crashed into several pipes that burst and covered me in liquid nitrogen and various other chemicals. Nora was saved in time but i was forever to be like this."

Maybury nodded whilst scribbling all this down. "I'm sorry Victor, i really am."

"Do not feel sorry for me. I neither need or want your pity." Freeze said coldly.

"We have to end today's session now but i will be back tomorrow to talk to you some more."

Freeze stared at Maybury as if he was analyzing him like a computer.

Maybury left his cell and almost immediately felt the warm air again. "So cold in there." He mumbled. "Now what was i going to do? Think, think, think. Yes that's it. I need to do these check ups on Crane."

Needless to say Crane didn't like the idea of being checked out so he did have to be given a sedative. Maybury waited in the Patient Medical Wing of Arkham hoping that Crane would be a healthy weight and his cause of paleness was a case of not much sunlight...if any. Eventually the results came in and Crane was taken back to his cell. Maybury went to his office and went over the notes.

"Let see, what do we have here? Height is 6ft, weight is 8 stone. That is not good. Blood test's have come back showing he's anaemic and his ECG shows that his heart is weak. Not critically weak but never the less weak. Wait what's this. "Unidentified substance in his blood stream" What the hell is that?"

A knock on the door shook Maybury out of his thought pattern. "Huh?"

"Hey it's just me." Harleen said walking in.

"Oh hey Herleen."

"I need another favour."

"Again?"

"Well as you know i'm making great progress with Joker but we seem to have hit a bump."

"A bump?" Maybury said looking confused.

"Joker wants to see you, now i'm not sure why but i can't get any further with him unless you see him. I'll be outside the whole time and he's got the same security thing as Killer Croc."

"The plastic wall?"

"That's the one."

Maybury sighed. "I'm not really comfortable with seeing him, i mean,"

Harleen cut him off. "Please just for a little while, it'll be super duper quick."

"Super duper?" Maybury thought. "Well, alright, but just this once."

"Ok let's do it now, get it over and done with."

Harleen lead Maybury to Joker's cell. Maybury who starting to get the feeling that he was letting himself in for something bad straggled behind hoping someone would call him away from this...but no such luck.

"Ok i'll be right out here if you need help and i'll also come and get you when time is up. Ok?"

"Ok." Maybury nooded now looking quite pale. Joker had a habit of killing the doctors that had talked or treated him. Then again he had a habit of killing people in general.

The doors unlocked them selves and inside was Joker waiting for Maybury who slowly walked in.

"Hey Doc." Joker said menacingly.

"How are you today Joker?" Maybury said nervously.

"This isn't an interview, i called you here remember? I wanted to talk to you."

"What about?"

"Word has spread that you've been interviewing several patients and been doing a good job and i just wanted to see the man who was doing this first hand."

"What do you really want Joker. I've read you file and you always have a motive, so what is it?"

"Ooohhhhh you've read my file, well woopty doo for you. but guess what...i've read your file too Tim! And i saw that you had a certain meeting with a certain bat a while ago. I heard you shared patient information with Batman as well. I want to know who it was about."

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions just answer me!" Joker snapped.

"You think it was about you? What have you got to be afraid about?"

"What is it with you and questions? Just tell me or i'll have one of my boys make your life very painful and when i get out of here i'll kill you and your sister personally.

Maybury lent in towards Joker and whispered. "I don't have a sister."

Joker snarled. "You'll do well not to annoy me Doc."

"Or what?" Maybury couldn't believe what he just said, he'd just challenged a lunatic.

Joker lent in as well and scowled. "Or What?" Joker repeated. "Or....BOOOM!!! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAA!"

Maybury jumped back.

"Oh Doc you've got guts i'll give you that." Joker laughed. "Well if you didn't mention me to Bat's then i have no beef with you. Just one more thing though...never question me like that again, or i'll rip your legs off." Joker said threateningly.

Just then Harleen entered the cell. "Time's up boys. Enjoy your chat?"

"Ooohhhhh it was just divine!" Joker exclaimed.

"Well thanks for the help." Harleen smiled.

As Maybury walked out the room he heard Joker say. "So toots, what's the plan now?"

"Some people just can't be cured." Maybury thought to himself. "Why did he want to know whether i told Batman anything about him? Why do i get the feeling Joker is planning something, something bad."


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

_Wednesday 14 October 2009_

_Arkham Asylum_

_Doctor Victor Fries A.K.A. Mr. Freeze_

* * *

"Hello Victor, how are you today?" Maybury asked.

"The same i am everyday." He replied sternly.

"And what is that?"

"Angry."

"I would like you to tell me what you did to Mr. Boyle when you became Mr. Freeze."

"I froze him in time."

"You did a little more then that."

Freeze stared at Maybury. "If you know then why ask?"

"Because Victor, I want to hear it from you."

"I froze his family, his wife and children. When he came home he fell to the floor crying. I walked out of the shadows and told him that the pain he was feeling now was nowhere near to mine! He begged for his life but his pleas fell on deaf ears. I froze him until he shattered into a thousand pieces."

"Did you feel better after that?" Maybury asked but already knowing the answer.

"Only for a short time, but then the pain came back. Worse this time, it grew like a tumor; engulfing me until Victor Fries died completely."

"Now Victor, I would like to talk to you about you're first fight with Batman."

"It was after news spread about me killing Boyle, my mind had slowly begun to be filled with anger and i needed to strike out. I attacked Gotham Bank, i would steal money so i could buy parts from all over the world to help Nora."

_Years ago_

_Gotham Bank_

* * *

Anyone who dared approach Mr. Freeze would be killed instantly. They would be frozen in time forever then shattered by a single punch.

"Give all of your money to me now!" Freeze ordered.

The men and women began piling money into several bags and handing them over to the villain.

Freeze pointed his Ice gun towards them but a batarang knocked it out of his hand. He spun round and saw Batman standing there.

"Batman. I thought you would have been here sooner."

"You have to stop this Victor."

"My name is Mr. Freeze now."

"I know about your wife Victor, she can be saved but it will take time."

"And time is of the essence Batman!" Freeze ran at Batman with his fist's clenched.

Batman got ready for the villain to throw a punch. Freeze swung for the Dark Knight's head but missed, he swung again and Batman deflected his punch and kicked Freeze in the side but the villains suit was harder than it looked.

"Urg." Batman grunted.

"I may not know how to fight, but this suit increases my strength." Freeze grabbed Batman by his neck and punched him several times in the stomach then threw him away.

Batman's back slammed against a heavy wooden desk. Mr. Freeze walked over and picked up his ice gun and pointed it at Batman. "You may feel some minor discomfort."

Just as Freeze went to pull the trigger Batman threw his batarang at the gun and instead of being frozen to death the ice beam covered the ceiling and bits of it began to break away and collapse. By now everyone had left the building apart from Batman and Mr. Freeze.

"We have to get out of here now!" Batman yelled over the sound of crashing debris.

"No! We finish it here, i have no fear of dying. Do you Batman? I would die for my wife, what would you die for?"

"This city."

A look of shock crossed Freeze's face, he didn't quite believe what he had just heard. "You would give your life for this city?"

"A thousand times over, just to keep it safe."

Part of the roof crashed down in front of Freeze, narrowly missing him. "We will meet again Batman."

_

* * *

_

_Present Day_

"He didn't catch you?" Maybury asked.

"No. He was lucky to escape with his life, we both were. The building was completely destroyed."

"Ok, now Victor i want to talk to you about something personal. I want to talk about Nora and how she died."

Freeze stared at Maybury in anger. "Rupert Thorne murdered her!"

"Why?"

"Because i double crossed him. He struck out at her, like a coward and when i get out out of here Dr. Maybury i'm going to pay him a visit."

"You're not going to be getting out of here in a long while i'm afraid."

"Never underestimate the inmates of Arkham Doctor."

"What is your relationship with Batman?" Maybury asked changing the subject. "Do want him dead?"

"Not always. Only when he gets in my way. I sometimes think he must have suffered some kind of trauma as well."

"What makes you think that?"

"To do what he does and fight people like me takes courage. Courage that can be made from a promise to help someone or save them."

"So you're not fixated on Batman. Good."

"I am unlike most inmates here, I'm not like Joker who would do anything to get even with Batman."

"Well that's...kind of good to hear." Maybury said half smiling.

"You seem to be different to the other Doctor's here." Freeze stated.

"What do you mean?"

"You seem to actually want to help. It's a lost cause though, we are all beyond help."

"I don't think you all are."

Freeze stared at Maybury. "None of us would think twice about killing you if you were in the way."

"That doesn't make you a lost cause."

"In my experience it does."

Maybury sighed. "I think that will be enough for today, i'll see you again in a couple of weeks so we can begin your therapy."

Freeze said nothing as Maybury left his frozen cell.

"I suppose i should go give Commissioner Gordon Crane's results then he can pass them on to Batman. Why do i get the feeling something bad is about to happen? Joker is creeping me out but i feel like...the sky is going to fall in or something." Maybury chuckled to himself. "Yeah that's what's going to happen, the sky will burn and aliens will be attacking Gotham. Who would want to travel a million miles across the galaxy to attack Gotham? Anywhere else on the planet i could understand but Gotham? Yeah right."

Maybury walked back to his office, grabbed his coat and Crane's file. "Wait. I got to go ask what this unidentified substance is first, going to have to go to the hospital wing. How could Crane have something "weird" in his blood stream? Can't be a drug otherwise it would have shown up, unless it's something new."

Maybury rushed over to the medical wing and walked up to the front desk.

"Hello how can i help you?" The receptionist asked.

"Who did Jonathon Crane's checkup?"

"I'm afraid that's confidential."

"My name is Doctor Maybury, Crane's my patient."

"Oh yes, it says that right here. Doctor Jenny Craig did the checkup."

"Ok where is she?"

"She should be in Room 12."

"Thanks." Maybury headed towards room 12 and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A voice called out.

Maybury walked in.

"Oh hi Tim, what's wrong?" Jenny asked.

"I got Crane's checkup report back, what's this unidentified substance in his blood stream? Also why didn't you sign it?"

"The Warden told us not to sign checkup's anymore."

"What? Why not?"

Jenny sighed. "I have no idea." She went back to looking through her microscope.

"Anyway what's this stuff in Crane's blood stream."

"I'm looking at it now and I have absolutely no idea."

"Have you show it to anyone else?"

"Like who?"

"Well Mitchel for starters, he would love to look at that."

"I'm not showing him." Jenny said bluntly.

"Why not?"

"You know why not Tim."

"You do know you dumped him right?"

"He was cheating on me."

Maybury sighed. "No he wasn't."

"You're only saying that because he's your best friend."

"Yes, but also because it's the truth, look I don't have time for this. Do you have any idea at all what the substance is?"

"For the last time no! Look for yourself."

Jenny gestured towards the microscope, Maybury lent in and looked through it. "Hmm?"

"What is it?"

"I've seen something like this before, where was it? A corpse!"

"What?"

"When me and Mitchel started here we were shown the blood from a corpse."

"Ok?" Jenny said slightly confused.

"It was no ordinary death though. The person had died by a fear induced heart attack, and there was a certain substance in his blood stream. It was Crane's Fear Toxin. Except it looks like here the Fear Toxin has mixed with various other chemicals and created one big weird thing."

"One big weird thing?"

"Yeah that's where my knowledge of this ends. Ok Jenny you keep trying to find out what the substances are and i have to give this to Commissioner Gordon."

"What did you say?"

"It's a long story, just do what you do. I'll be back soon."

Maybury wasn't really sure why he was rushing, it's not like Crane was going to break out that night. As he past the main reception he signed out then took the staff lift to the car park. One positive thing about being a Doctor at Arkham was that the pay was good, really good. Probably due to the fact that no one really wanted to work there and most of the doctors were killed. Maybury ran up to his Audi TT, he couldn't believe he had one of these. All thanks to hard work, saving up and a good pay. Maybury drove up several levels and once he reached the surface he sped off towards the Gotham City Police Department.

GCPD

Commissioner Gordon's Office

A knock on Gordon's door could be heard. The Commissioner looked up from a police file that read "Bane".

"Come in." He said.

An officer walked in and said. "Someone's here to see you; a Doctor Tim Maybury. Say's that Batman sent him."

Gordon thought for a while then said. "Ok, send him in."

Maybury walked into Gordon's office and closed the door behind him. "Thanks for seeing me. I'm a Doctor at Arkham and I've got some medical results here for Batman."

"Whose are they?" Gordon asked.

"Jonathan Crane's."

"The Scarecrow?"

Maybury nodded. "Something turned up in them, something that shouldn't be there."

"What is it?"

Maybury sighed. "We don't know, it's something new. Maybe a drug of some kind but some of it resembles Crane's fear toxin."

"So what, he's got himself poisoned?"

"I think so, i just don't know what it all means."

"It means he's dying." Said a gravely voice.

Maybury spun round and saw Batman standing at the window.

Gordon smiled. "You get used to him appearing out of nowhere."

Maybury handed Batman the file who quickly read it. "Is Crane's blood still being tested?"

"Yeah, by Doctor Jenny Craig."

"So is this what happens when you make fear toxin for too long?" Gordon asked.

"Crane probably thought he was safe because he was wearing a gas mask. The toxins must have seeped in through his skin over the years. It's been slowly building up; but these other chemicals in here?"

"That's what we're stuck on. I've never seen them before." Maybury said.

"I have." Batman said bluntly. "It's Laughing Gas, and only one man uses it."

"Joker." Gordon said.

"So you're saying Joker used his Laughing Gas on Crane?"

Batman sighed. "I'm not sure yet. He must have only given him a small amount otherwise Crane would be dead."

"He is dying though, we need to help him." Maybury said.

"We can transport him to Gotham General, I'll set up a series of officers to watch him. His room would be in lock-down." Gordon suggested.

"I would need a sample of his blood so I could study it and find an antidote."

However Maybury was still confused. "Why would Joker use his Laughing Gas on Crane? I think he's planning something."

"What makes you say that?" Gordon asked.

"Doctor Harleen Quinzel has been interviewing him over the past few days which is normal but lately she's been acting...different."

"How so?" Batman asked.

"She's been saying things that I've heard Joker saying, just phrases, words, or the odd sentence. Also she's been visiting him more and more and acting...happy."

"Happy?"

"As in weird happy, no reason to be smiling. Like she's in a day dream. One thing she said was "Who would notice another crazy round this place?" That's not like her at all. Plus Joker questioned me if I'd been talking to you about him."

Gordon looked at Batman. "What's wrong?"

"Joker has said that to me before once, when I was dragging him into Arkham. You're right. He's planning something. We thought that his plot with Reese Lanning was over, but it wasn't it was only the start of it."

An Officer burst into Gordon's office. "There's been a breakout at Arkham!" He shouted in panic.

"What?! Get every available cop down there now! I want the SWAT team there as well!"

"Yes sir!"

"Ok Batman," Gordon looked round but the Dark Knight was gone. "Looks like he's already left then, Doctor Maybury you're with me."

The two of them rushed outside and into the Police car. From the sky it looked like a whole armada of Police vehicles were converging on Arkham.

"We could do with someone on the inside." Gordon said whilst driving.

"What?"

"Inside of Arkham, it would make things easier for me and Batman."

"Are you drafting me up for a war?" Maybury asked slightly confused.

"It's already a war son."

"Didn't you have a team before? Look what happened to them, half of them killed and the other had half his face burnt off."

"Dent was a good man. Bad things just happened to him." Gordon sighed.

"I'm not being selfish here but if the inmates find out that I'm ratting them out so to speak then I have a death wish."

"They probably already know." Gordon said.

"Great, looks like I have no choice."

"Welcome aboard." Gordon smiled.

As they drew closer to Arkham the sounds of gun fire and screams could be heard.

Maybury spotted Batman fighting several of the thugs.

"God this is worse than I thought it would be." Gordon said. "Stay here in the car, if things get even more heated drive out of here. Also there's a gun under your seat. If it's a life and death situation use it." Gordon got out and ran up to another officer.

Maybury reached under the seat and unstrapped it. "Oh I hate guns." He sighed.

Just then Maybury spotted a blue figure in the distance. The figure raised his arms and a blue beam came out of them, then the penny dropped. "...Oh hell..."

Maybury ran out of the car and dived on the ground as the ice beam crashed into it and several other cars. It was Mr. Freeze, he'd been let lose and he had his suit. Maybury looked up and saw the Villain walk past him.

Freeze stared at Maybury and raised his arm. "None of us would think twice Doctor."

Maybury was rooted to the ground out of fear. This was it, he was a dead man. He was going to be frozen in time. Die a very painful death. He closed his eye's waiting to be frozen.

Freeze sighed and lowered his arm. "But you're not in my way. You're a good man, like I was once. You were kind to me; this makes us even. But if I see you again I won't hesitate."

Freeze ran off in the opposite direction dodging bullet fire. Maybury sat on the floor amazed and thank full that he was still alive.

SEVERAL HOURS LATER

Gordon walked up to Maybury who was sitting on the step of a ambulance van. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I shouldn't have brought you."

"You didn't know it was going to be this bad."

"I can't believe Freeze didn't kill you."

"Me neither." Maybury said.

"How're you feeling?"

"The shock has nearly gone, I'm just a bit jumpy, that's all."

Batman walked up to the Van. "Joker's gone, along with Doctor Quinzel, also Freeze, Riddler, Catwomen and Scarecrow are missing."

Batman pulled out a small device. "I've got the security tapes of Joker's sessions with Quinzel. I've just transferred them on to this."

"Find anything good?"

"Just this." Batman said.

_"So baby you got the stuff we need to break out of here?"_

_"Sure thing pudding, here's your gun and a series of small explosives."_

_"How you got that in here I have no idea. Hehehe! Look out Gotham, Joker's back in town. Come on let's go!"_

_"Hang on pudding, I've been thinking about what you called me once and if I'm hanging around with a guy named Joker than he needs a gal with the name of Harley Quinn!"_

_"Let's go reek havoc Harley AHAHAHAHAHA!!!" _

"That's it." Batman said. "It's obvious he's warped her mind."

"What do we do now?" Maybury asked.

"We?" Batman questioned.

"Didn't you hear? I'm now part of the team."

Gordon smiled. "I figured we could use a man on the inside, so to speak."

"We wait. I'll scour the city for Joker, Gordon, you go back arresting criminals and Maybury; you go back to work at Arkham."

"That's it?" Maybury said. "That's all we can do? Just wait?"

"That's how it works son." Gordon said. "Unless you want to go chasing after Joker yourself."

"You know, you heroes really should have a group. Then you could all team up and take down the bad guys. It would make life easier wouldn't it?" Maybury asked.

"You'd think that. Besides I work better alone."

Maybury laughed. "So what does that make us then? What about your partners as well? Robin, Batgirl and erm...Nightwing."

Batman sighed and half smiled. "Back up."


	5. Epilogue

"The wheels have been set in motion." Joker said. "I've been planning this for years and now the time is finally right it can begin. Reese Lanning was only a small part of my plan, it's a shame he didn't last longer but these things happen. Harley Quinn was the second phase of my plan. I needed a Doctor, someone clever and someone who knows Arkham like the back of their hand. It was just a bonus that she was willing to be molded into shape. Crane was also part of my second phase. I needed to know what his Fear Toxin and my Laughing Gas would do if combined. Thanks to certain Doctors knowledge I now know. It's killing him, slowly and there is no cure. Believe me when I say cancer has a new rival."

"What is it doing to him?" Another voice asked.

"It's eating him up from the inside Hehe. His whole body is unstable. But best of all this drug affects the mind. Makes you hear voices apparently, gives you a split personality and at the same time increases brain power."

"As if the body is trying to balance itself out." The voice said sounding interested.

"Exactly, I may need to tweak the formula here and there however so we can get maximum effectiveness but apart from that my plan is coming along nice and dandy. Very soon Gotham won't know what hit 'em and with any luck neither will Batman. Plus I'm going to give Bat's an ultimatum, oh i can't wait!"

"What do you need me for then?" The voice questioned.

"Because I though it would be fun that not just Gotham suffered, I thought it would be nice that maybe another city could share in it's misfortune."

The figure lent forward in the light. "You mean if Metropolis suffered as well?"

"That's right Lexy, plus you could get even with that blue boy scout of yours."

"So you'll be giving me the drug?" Lex asked.

"Yep," Joker smiled. "Although I do ask for just one thing in return."

"I knew it." Lex smiled.

"I need some Kryptonite first, then the drug should be ready."

Lex held out his hand and Joker shook. "Deal." He said.

* * *

A/N: So this is it, the beginningof the end, what do you think Joker's plan is? The next story is Batman: Fright Knight which carries on after this and as well as Batman: Birth of Harley Quinn which takes place at the same time as this. Please, please, please, please review my story's. Thank you all for reading them and thanks for the reviews so far.


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